Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are being used as light sources in an increasing variety of applications extending from communications and instrumentation to household, automotive and visual display. Many of these applications require higher levels of power or subject the LEDs to higher temperature operating environments. In response, LED manufacturers have improved the purity of the semiconductor materials in order to keep the LED output intensity high as temperature increases. As a result, desired applications of LEDs are now constrained by the thermal limits of their packaging.
The currently prevalent plastic LED packages have an operational temperature limit of about 80° C. Some LED die, however, will operate at 120° C., and industry preference is for an operational temperature of about 200° C. Accordingly there is a need for an improved light emitting diode packaged for high temperature operation.